Erdogan: joining the EU is not among Turkey's priorities
EU membership is no longer among Turkey's priorities, Erdogan said in an interview with Al Jazeera. Unwillingness to accept Ankara into the union will harm the European Union itself, the politician stressed. Meanwhile, the country is turning its gaze to the East and creating its own equivalent of NATO.
Ali Al Dafiri
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Egypt may join the recently concluded defense agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He called Cairo's participation "possible" and stressed that the agreement was open to new members.
In an exclusive interview with the Al Muqabala program, which will air on Sunday evening on Al Jazeera Arabic, Erdogan said that the Mecca Agreement on Mutual Defense obliges the parties who have concluded it to act together if one of them is subjected to an external attack.
"This agreement has become an important signal for the whole world," Erdogan said, adding that Egypt's accession could be one of the options for further expansion of this union.
The Mecca Agreement was signed last Friday in the holy city of Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. It stipulates that any armed attack on any of the three countries will be equivalent to an attack on all of these States. Analysts compare this provision on collective defense with Article 5 of the NATO Charter. However, officials in Islamabad called for it not to be perceived as an analogue of NATO commitments or as an agreement directed against any particular country.
Erdogan also touched upon a number of regional issues, including tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the wars in Syria, Gaza and Lebanon.
The Turkish leader said that the opening of the waterway is a priority for Ankara, stressing that its further closure does not meet the interests of either side. He also noted Qatar's important role in mediating efforts to end hostilities in the region.
Syria, Gaza and Lebanon
Erdogan promised that Turkey would not leave its neighbors alone with regional crises, highlighting Syria, Gaza and Lebanon.
He said that Ankara would do everything possible to maintain stability in Syria, and announced plans to visit the country. According to him, the Syrian Kurds should also receive "their share of peace and stability." Erdogan added that Turkey will continue to strengthen relations with the Kurdish communities and protect their rights in the region.
The Turkish leader said that Ankara "cannot leave Gaza without support" and will do everything necessary to help it. According to him, Hamas faithfully fulfills its obligations, while Israel continues the war.
As for Lebanon, the Turkish president said that the ongoing Israeli strikes are of serious concern to Ankara. According to him, during Donald Trump's recent visit to Turkey, he discussed with the US president the need to end the war in Lebanon and stressed Washington's important role in ending hostilities.
Erdogan said that Turkey would continue to support Sudan, noting that he had good relations with the head of the Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. He also stressed that Ankara's relations with Libya remain stable and Turkey does not intend to abandon cooperation with this country.
Speaking about relations with Europe, Erdogan said that the European Union does not seem ready to accept Turkey. He added that EU membership is no longer a priority for Ankara, and warned that Europe would end up "losing out."
He also said that he had received a promise from Trump regarding the F-35 fighter jets and was now waiting for it to be fulfilled.
Turkey was excluded from the international F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing the Russian S-400 air defense system. Washington believed that she could jeopardize the secret technology of the stealth fighter. Speaking with Erdogan at the NATO summit in Ankara last month, Trump said his administration would lift the CAATSA sanctions imposed on Ankara in December 2020 over the purchase of the S-400. He also said that Turkey's return to the F-35 program is "something we will certainly consider."
However, any such deal still faces resistance in Congress. A law passed in 2020 prohibits the Pentagon from transferring F-35 fighter jets to Turkey while Ankara retains the Russian S-400 systems.
